Fort Walton Beach seniors earn a trip to regional theater competition

Fort Walton Beach High School theater students Alexis Bass and Sean Royal perform a scene from the comedy “Kosher Lutherans.” The play will be performed Dec. 6 in the school’s auditorium as a fundraiser to travel to a regional competition.

DEVON RAVINE / Daily News

By KATIE TAMMEN / Daily News

Published: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 06:12 PM.

In the spring, eight seniors will head to the Southeastern Theater Conference in Louisville, Ky., for the first time in the school’s history after their performance at a state competition nabbed them one of two slots at the regionals.

The 40-minute comedy is an abridged version of William Missouri Downs’ “Kosher Lutherans,” a peak into the lives and relationship woes of two Jewish couples living in California. Alexis Bass and Sean Royal play one couple and Helena Whittaker and Dakota Blankenship play the other.

The seniors said no one was more surprised than them when they won at the Secondary School One Act Play Festival in Gainesville.

“We felt unprepared before we went,” Helena said.

“We were walking into this like we’re just going to get this done,” Sean added with a smile.

In fact, on the day of the play, they all were more focused on the individual college auditions they had the next day. The state competition simply was part of a class requirement.

Their performance wasn’t flawless, but their abilities to improvise proved a saving grace.

For example, Helena, who was supposed to be drinking wine throughout the production, actually broke a wine glass and cut her hand. She picked up some napkins that were part of the set to wrap the bleeding cuts and everyone kept moving.

The one-act play was completely in the hands of the eight students — the four actors, Isabel, stage manager Brynette Larranaga and technical director John Paprocki — until the very last week before the state competition. At that point, Christa Whittaker, who oversees the high school’s theater department, watched it and gave them a few tips.

“(The win is) unexpected,” Whittaker said. “We do this to have the experience of them doing everything themselves.”

In addition to being one of two theater groups representing Florida in the regionals, Helena — Whittaker’s daughter — was named best actress in the state event. She and Sean were named part of the All-Star cast.

“We thought it went well, but we didn’t think it went that well,” Dakota said.

Fund raising for the trip to Louisville, which will likely cost about $10,000, will kick off this week with an unrelated production by the theater department. That will be followed in early December with a performance of the award-winning play.

When they go to Louisville in March, all eight students said their game plan is simple.

“I think we’re just going to have fun,” Isabel said. “I keep joking we can’t win again because we can’t afford it.”

In the spring, eight seniors will head to the Southeastern Theater Conference in Louisville, Ky., for the first time in the school’s history after their performance at a state competition nabbed them one of two slots at the regionals.

The 40-minute comedy is an abridged version of William Missouri Downs’ “Kosher Lutherans,” a peak into the lives and relationship woes of two Jewish couples living in California. Alexis Bass and Sean Royal play one couple and Helena Whittaker and Dakota Blankenship play the other.

The seniors said no one was more surprised than them when they won at the Secondary School One Act Play Festival in Gainesville.

“We felt unprepared before we went,” Helena said.

“We were walking into this like we’re just going to get this done,” Sean added with a smile.

In fact, on the day of the play, they all were more focused on the individual college auditions they had the next day. The state competition simply was part of a class requirement.

Their performance wasn’t flawless, but their abilities to improvise proved a saving grace.

For example, Helena, who was supposed to be drinking wine throughout the production, actually broke a wine glass and cut her hand. She picked up some napkins that were part of the set to wrap the bleeding cuts and everyone kept moving.

The one-act play was completely in the hands of the eight students — the four actors, Isabel, stage manager Brynette Larranaga and technical director John Paprocki — until the very last week before the state competition. At that point, Christa Whittaker, who oversees the high school’s theater department, watched it and gave them a few tips.

“(The win is) unexpected,” Whittaker said. “We do this to have the experience of them doing everything themselves.”

In addition to being one of two theater groups representing Florida in the regionals, Helena — Whittaker’s daughter — was named best actress in the state event. She and Sean were named part of the All-Star cast.

“We thought it went well, but we didn’t think it went that well,” Dakota said.

Fund raising for the trip to Louisville, which will likely cost about $10,000, will kick off this week with an unrelated production by the theater department. That will be followed in early December with a performance of the award-winning play.

When they go to Louisville in March, all eight students said their game plan is simple.

“I think we’re just going to have fun,” Isabel said. “I keep joking we can’t win again because we can’t afford it.”